Improved steam-generator



H. B. MYER. STEAM GENERATOR.

No. 49,431. Patented Aug. 15, 1865.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY-B. MYER, or CLEVELAND, oHIo.

IMPROVED STEAMeGENERATOR.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.'49,43l, datedAugust 15, 1865.

part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the top of the steanrchamber. Fig. 3 is a transverse section at the up-' per end of the steam-generating tubrs. Figs. 4 and 5 are vertical sections of the tubes. Fig. 6 is a section of a tube for snperlieatiug the .steam for the purpose of decomposing and i gniting the same in the heatingfurnace. Fig. 8 is a section of the deflectors or heating-disks. Fig. 10 is the under side of Fig.7. Fig. 11 is the top of the reservoir for containing the oil for combustion. Fig. 12 is another oil-reservoir for burning naphtha when first starting the combustion, which reservoir is placed just below the reservoir, Fig. ll. Fig. 13 is an enlarged section of Fig. l l, with the heating-disks shown in Figs. 7-and 9 in place; and Fig. 14 is a perspective view'of the whole generator, having a portion of the front removed for the purpose ofshowi-nfi the interior.

.A in Figs. 1 and 14 shows the base or foundation of the generator. This may be of any convenient form and size suited to the size of the steam-generator. A shows aperforated circular base, which is -in' height about one-third the diameter of the apparatus. This part constitutes what may be called the firechamber. The perforations in the sides are for the admission of air to support the combustion.

B B represent the oilreservoirs for contain ing the oily used in combustion for the production of heat. The lower one, B, is designedto contain naphtha or other light oil for use in starting the fire, and has no interior communication with the reservoir B. It is charged through the pipe b. The reservoir B is in the form ofa hollow ring; with a trough-like de-. pression upon the upper side, which is provided with holes a, Fig. 1, for the escape of the burning gas. Metallic deflectors a are placed just above the reservoir B, for the purpose of distributing the heat more evenly around the reservoir B.

In getting up steam the reservoir B is filled with naphtha or other light volatile oil, the trough on the upper sideot' the reservoir being partly tilled, and thisis; ignited, and once filling will burn a suflicient length of time to ignite' the heavier oil in the reservoir B, which is placed immediately above it. a

The reservoir B is constructed in a form similar to that of B, and is provided with holes I) for the escape of gas. The arms that support the hollow ring or rings (for there may be one or more of these) are hollow,.a nd coin municate with the interior of the reservoir B and also with the center stem which forms its central support, ,as seen at G in Fig. 1. The oil is admitted from a fountain of proper elevation through the pipe 0, antlthe flow' to the reservoir is regulated by means of a stop cock. The.

oil can'all be drawn ot'f fromthe reservoir B by meansfot the cock 0.

For the purpose of being always able to determinethe exact quantity of oil in the reservoir B, I attach the fluid-level indicator D. (Shown in Figs. 1 and 14.) This consists of a pipe, 6, hicli connects with the lower portion of the reservoir, passing out through an opening in the circular base, A, where itturns at right angles, and at which point is inserted a glass tube, 6, fitted oil-tight, and communicating with the reservoir. The'upper end is provided with a short metallic tube and stop--' cock, f which carr be opened for the escape or admission of air. The glass tube which connects e and f has an exposed length equal to the depth of the reservoir, and is set and supported on a line horizontal thereto, the upper end being supported by a brace f. By means o'fthis indicator theheight of oil can always be observed.

The lower end of the tube 0 is loaded with a weight, (3, and the upper end is connected at (Why a link or swivel-joint tea rod, E, which passes down through the main smoke-flue, as shown in Fig.1 but it may he supported upon a flexible joint by any other suitable means, the object beiu g to suspend the reservoirs in such a manner that the rocking ofa boat; or

the oscillations of car will not, throw them from a generalllevel position.

' About four inches above the reservoir B, I place a series of deflectors, F. (Shown detached in Fig. 9.) Each one of these has its center directly above one of the orifices b in the reservoir B, as indicated in Fig. 11. These deflectors soon become red-hot, andradiate their heat upon the uppersurface of the reservoir B, and by this means the temperature of the oil in B is kept at an inflammable point, and is thus converted into gas, which escapes through the orifices I) and is consumed, as be fore stated.

G in Figs. 1, 3, 4, 5, and 14 represents the floor of the water and steam chamber. From its under side depend a series of double heating-tubes or steam-generators, which open into the space above the floor G. The tubes are closed at the lower end, and the flame and heat from the burning'oil circulates freely among them. "a.

There are five flues which carry offthe pro ducts (gases) of combustion, one of which is in the center, through which the rod E passes,

as seen at H in Figs. 1 and 2. The others, H, are arranged near the margin of the generator, as shown in Fig. 2. One of these, H, after passin g the floor G of the generator, passes in a coil around the bottom of the water-chamber for the purpose of increasing the heating-sunface. The flue shown at P takes one turn around the chamber and returns to the firebox below, thus increasing the heating-surface:

In Figs. 1 and :2 is represented the upper floor, I, of the steam-chamber. The pipe that couductsthe steam to the engine leads out below this, and is shown at I in Figs. 1 and 14.

Immediately above the floor I is placed a conical cap, J, forming a gas or smoke chamber, although with perfect combustion no smoke is formed.- It is in this chamber that the flues H H terminate. Within it is also situated the pipe K, which receives steam through the connection L, either from the exhaust-port of the engine or directly from the steam-chamber below the floor I.

The pipeKis provided with a stop-cock, K, for discharging any water that may become condensed in it.

From the upper side of the pipe-Ka series of small pipes, 'm, lead ofl'and pass down through the fines H, and are elaborated into helical coils, as shown in Fig. 7. These helical coils rest upon and connectwith inverted cup-like deflectors M, the terminating end of each coil connecting with three cups (more or less may be used) by a small orifice on the inside, as shown at a in Figs. 8 and 10, Fig. 10 showing the under side ofthe cups. These inverted cuplike deflectors are in number equal to and are arranged to correspond with the deflectors F,

and, with the helical coils attached,restimmediately upon them, leaving, however, aVery thin space between the edge of the cup M and the deflector F, as seen at 0, Fig. 8, for the escape of the flame arising from the combustion of the gas formed from the decomposed steam. The steam, by being conveyed for so long a distance through the helical pipes on, which are located in the hottest part of the fire-chainber, becomes decomposed into its elementary constituents-oxygen and hydrogen gasesand the instant these combined gasesimpinge upon the heated surface of the deflectors F they inflame and greatly intensify the heat in the fire-chamber and among the generatingtubes S, as shown in Fig. 1.

There are several modifications that may be made to the devices herein named, in regard to structure and arrangement, which may be adopted without departing from the leading features set forth in the following claims. 1 t-herefore hold myself at liberty to make such modifications in structure and arrangementas may be found convenient, so long as I keep within the limit, spirit, and meaning of my claims.

What I claim as my improvement, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- 4 I 1. A swingingreservoir suspended within the fire-box of a steam-generator and beneath the generating-surface of the same, for containing hydrocarbon oils, substantially as shown and described.

2. A reservoir, B, for containingnaphtha or other light oils used for inducing combustion in the oil-reservoir B" above it, in the manner and for the purpose-as shown and described.

3. The combination of the reservoirs B and B with the deflector a, placed between them, substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination of the reservoir B with the fluid-level indicator 1), substantially as shown and described.

5. The deflectors F, in combination with the reservoir B, as and for the purpose described.

6. The inverted cups or deflectors M, placed above the deflectors F, for the purpose of receivingand distributing the superheated steam, substantially as shown and described.

7. The combination and arrangemcntot the deflectors F and the inverted cups M, sub stantially as and for the purpose described and shown.

8. The combination ot' the superheating helical pipes at with the inverted cups M, substantially in the manner shown.

9. The circular fines H and I, placed in the base of the water-chamber, substantially as shown and described.

HENRY B. MYER.

Witnesses:

W. H. BURRIDGE, A W. MCCLELLAND. 

